Kevin's Heart
by Darien Fawkes
Summary: Kevin is about to find out just how much the heart can affect even the strongest of wills.
1. A Trip to the Beach

**Legal: **I do not own Power Rangers or the associated names, characters, places, events etc. Anything not covered by the above rights should be presumed to be purely the creation of the author.

**Rating: **T – may be some mild adult themes.

**Timeline: **Following the events of "There go the Brides".

Mia stood expectantly at the altar, not really listening too much to what the minister had to say. She was too busy enjoying the sensation of finally having what she had dreamed of since she was a little girl, the perfect wedding day.

She could feel every eye looking at her in awe in her beautiful white gown. She smiled as she remembered the first time she had done this, as a ruse to lure the Nighlocks to kidnap her and discover where Dayu was taking brides as part of her scheme. Mike had teased Kevin endlessly about crying when he watched the ceremony, and he had also told her that Mentor Ji was also crying. She could understand the latter, since he had been such a huge part of Jayden's life. He was practically a father to him; it was natural that it would affect him to imagine Jayden taking the biggest step of his life.

She felt a hand in hers and smiled as she turned to face her groom. She couldn't remember when things had changed, but ever since their first "wedding", she saw him in a whole new light. She had always noticed that he was attractive, but since then, since seeing him in his tuxedo pledging to love, honour and protect her for as long as he lived, she could think of little else. He had been very staid and stiff on that day, barely able to look at her, never mind smile as he took his "vows". Now though was entirely different. This time he was doing it for real. Things had moved quickly between them, far more quickly than she would have imagined.

She held her hand up as he was handed the ring by Mentor Ji. He started to slide it on, his resolution tested by the excitement in his heart. His voice wavered a little as he spoke.

"I give you this ring as a token of my everlasting love." He began, looking deeply into her eyes. "With this ring, I promise to honour you with my heart, my body and soul and share with you everything I have for as long as I live."

Mia turned a little, seeing Emily holding Jayden's ring out for her. She took it and turned back to her fiancé.

"I give you this ring as a token of my everlasting love." She responded, looking deeply into his eyes, and smiling contentedly as she felt her tears beginning. "With this ring, I promise to honour you with my heart, my body and soul and share with you everything I have for as long as I live."

"By the giving and receiving of rings, you have pledged yourselves to each other. I now pronounce you man and wife." The minster told them. "You may kiss the bride."

Jayden reached forward, pulling Mia's veil out of her face gently. As he reached up, wiping away a tear, he drew her in. Mia had waited for this moment ever since she had been given her first doll in a wedding dress as a little girl, and she couldn't believe her luck that she had found that love with one of her best friends. She closed her eyes...

Just then, she felt a hand on her shoulder, shaking her awake. She grunted and tried to swat it away.

"Mia, get up!" Emily yelled, shaking her a little more aggressively. "Come on, Mentor Ji's letting us go to the beach! Get up!"

Mia groaned as she pulled the covers off her and sat up, rubbing her eyes. It was far too early for Emily's enthusiasm anyway, but she was also disappointed that she had wakened her just as it was getting to the good part.

Her feelings towards Jayden had changed recently. She had started to notice him a lot more since the fake weddings. She was starting to see why Emily and Mike had done such an elaborate dance around each other in the beginning. In the house there was little privacy, and even fewer secrets. She was already worried about the fact she couldn't be sure if she said anything in her sleep since Emily shared a room with her. A pair of jeans landed on her lap, following which a t-shirt hit her in the face, draping over her.

"Come on Mia, we want to get there before the beach fills up." She giggled as she started to look out her own supplies. "Come ON!"

"Fine, just...get me some OJ or something." She muttered. Emily skipped off excitedly to comply with her room-mate's request. Mia couldn't really blame her for her excitement. She and Mike were still broke after replacing Mentor Ji's television, so this was one of the few times everyone could go out and they'd be able to go too.

As she slowly got dressed, she looked at herself in the mirror, and she just sighed. She never did get to finish that dream, no matter how many times she'd had it over the last couple of days. Mike and Emily had gone through something similar, but in Mia's case there was a complication that made the situation different. She had no idea if Jayden felt the same way.

He was so hard to read, and incredibly guarded. The mystery about him was one of the things that both unsettled her, and also intrigued her. Whenever the Rangers talked about themselves, talked about their families and their past, he was always there listening. However, whenever anyone asked him a question, he would always answer in only one or two words, with absolutely no elaboration, and either deflect the conversation or outright change the subject. They all knew that he had been with Mentor Ji for years, and that they had a kind of father/son relationship of sorts, but beyond that, none of them knew anything about him. Where he came from, his family, if he had any friends...all they knew about him was that he was Mentor Ji's student, and one of the most dogged and determined people any of them had ever met.

She had found her thoughts straying to what he looked like in his tux a couple of times, and had found her heart turning over a little. When Mike teased her about loving the chance to get into the dress again, and Emily stood up for her, she simply responded that she was a sucker for Cinderella. As she looked over to Jayden, he just raised an eyebrow and gave her a little smirk. She didn't know what to make of his reaction, but it was enough to start her obsessing about him all the time.

As she arrived in the main room, she found everyone getting ready. As usual, there were an assortment of cereals and a few rounds of toast on the table, along with fruit juices. Emily was talking with Mike, but as she saw Emily, suddenly remembered that she had asked her for some OJ, and quickly poured it, making her way over. Mia saw Jayden eating his muesli silently. He greeted her with only a smile and a nod of the head, but it was enough to make her smile to see him. Kevin jumped away from her as he almost walked into her, carrying a large bag.

"Whoa, sorry there Mia." He stated apologetically, putting the bag down and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"I'm just fine." She assured him. He went to the table and picked up the plate of toast, snatching it away just as Mike was going for another slice much to his annoyance, and offered it to her. He had a huge grin on his face as he offered her a piece of toast. "Here."

"I'll be fine." She told him, gesturing to the fruit juice and nodding as she turned her gaze back to Jayden, kneeling by the table.

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." He protested. "Besides, you don't want to eat too soon before you go swimming, it's dangerous."

"He's right." Jayden chipped in, gulping down his mouthful of muesli. "You wouldn't want to risk getting cramp."

She appreciated Jayden looking out for her. It was kind of sweet. Besides, she guessed she didn't really know when they would break out the picnic she could see packed in the corner. She took a couple of slices and nodded in Jayden's direction.

"Thanks." She said quickly to Kevin as she glanced back to Jayden, taking a plate, a knife and some butter and beginning to spread. "So what's in the bag?"

"I packed all kinds of great stuff for us." Kevin told her enthusiastically, kneeling next to her. "We've got a Frisbee, towels, blankets, buckets, spades, boogeyboards...all sorts of stuff. It's going to be great!"

"I'm looking forward to it." Emily agreed. "It's been ages since we got out of the academy."

"Maybe I could finally teach you how to shred." Mike suggested, putting an arm around her. She just looked at him a little sceptically.

"Are you trying to end up with me in traction?" She asked him. "It's a beautiful day; I don't want to spend it in a hospital."

"I'll just go and load up the car." Jayden told them as he finished up his breakfast, rising to his feet. "The sooner I do, the sooner we can get out there."

"I'll help!" Mia mumbled out as she shoved a piece of toast in her mouth and picked up one of the many bags they had packed up for the day.

"I will..."

"We'll be fine." Mia told him as Jayden picked up another bag and made his way out. The Kevin's smile slipped from his face as he watched them take the first of the bags out. He was no fool, and could see the way Mia had been looking at Jayden the last couple of days. She had done pretty much everything she could to spend time with him, including asking him to take her through a sword kata that he had offered to help her with many times. He had mastered it when he was only 12, but she had always insisted she didn't need the help before.

He could remember seeing the look on her face as Jayden put his hands on her, subtly changing and correcting her positions and stances as he took her through it. He could only admit feeling a slightly sick, cramping sensation in his stomach, and a tight, unpleasant knot in his chest as he watched them.

He was so distracted seeing them, that Mike bested him in their sparring session. Mike of all people! He liked Mike, and he knew he was trying his best, indeed he was making impressive progress, yet he was still the weakest of them in his technique. He had made his excuses and went off to meditate, leaving Mike and Emily to train together, but even then he couldn't concentrate. Watching her with Jayden, he couldn't clear his mind. He knew exactly what the problem was, and yet it seemed there was nothing he could do about it. He wished it was him she looked at that way.

Ever since he had met her, he found her beautiful. She was the first member of the team to greet him when they arrived. She did everything she could to make them all feel welcome, including finding out what their favourite meal was and cooking it for them that night. Well, she attempted to cook their favourite meals anyway. As he looked at her face, seeing the proud smile on her face as she presented the dishes to them, he was the first to realise that it wasn't a joke, and that she genuinely believed that she had done a good job. In gratitude, he had forced down every dry, overcooked mouthful.

Since that day, he had only watched her continue to demonstrate all the things he loved about her. She was always willing to spend time with Emily when she got homesick; fulfilling a void in her life he suspected she felt with her sister so far away. She was always willing to offer words of encouragement to Mike when it became apparent exactly how much he had let his training slide and they had to work with him to get him up to speed with his sword work. She had even been willing to spend time with him that night they had to follow Ryan to see what the Nighlock wanted with him.

While the others knew of his ambitions to swim in the Olympics, only she had spent a whole night talking with him, allowing him to just talk about his disappointment at missing so much of his training, leaving his dream behind. Even though he had all but accepted the fact that his duties as a Ranger would make his dream just that, an unreachable goal, he appreciated her telling him that he could go back to it, just as they could all go back to their lives once it was over. For him, it was slightly different; he knew how narrow the window of opportunity was to compete. If he was even out of training for a year, it was possible he'd never get back to top-level competition performance, being too old to compete by the time the qualifiers came around. However, as she held him, he couldn't bring himself to dispute her faith in him. When he woke up with her leaning her head on his shoulder, he couldn't help smiling. From that moment on, he was doomed to feel this way about her.

Unfortunately other factors got in the way. Like Mike and Emily, he knew that privacy was an almost non-existent commodity. He just couldn't find the time alone with her to ask her out, and even when he did, his mouth just wouldn't come out with the words. He had never been particularly good with that kind of thing. Between his training as a Samurai, his swimming and his schoolwork, he had never made time for anything else really. He had, instead, only managed to do what he could to get her to notice him and make her smile.

He was the one who generally convinced the others to force down her attempts to cook, and had even occasionally been the one to fix them snacks once he was sure Mia was safely asleep when it had been particularly bad and almost inedible. He was the one who did everything to keep her in the dark about how bad it was. When he had heard her idea about how to track down the brides Dayu had kidnapped, he had volunteered to play the part of her groom. Even if it was fake, he just wanted to be near her, to protect her as much as he could. Unfortunately Jayden and Mentor Ji had overruled him on the point, reasoning that as team leader, it was Jayden's responsibility. Kevin had reluctantly agreed, unable to defy his mentor and his leader, no matter how much he wanted to.

As Jayden and Mia came back for the last of the bags, laughing a little as they both reached for the same bag, before Jayden took it, he felt the jealousy build in him once more. He didn't want to feel this way, but he couldn't help it. Despite his sense of duty, he had another thought, another feeling that he hated. He resented Jayden, and not just because Mia was into him. His anger has caused him to think about a lot of recent events in a different way.

Jayden had ordered him to tell Mia how terrible her cooking was. He insisted specifically that it was HIM that did it. While he could see Jayden's reasoning behind not simply using the Swordfish Zord's cleansing abilities to keep her in the dark a little longer, Jayden could have easily asked Mike to do it, or even Emily. He could have gotten Mentor Ji to handle it. Hell, he could have stepped up to the plate as team leader and done it himself, but he didn't. He got Kevin to tell her, and while it had ended well and she insisted she was fine, he could still tell that it had hurt her. Jayden knew that Kevin would never be able to defy any of his orders; his sense of duty would force him to obey.

He had used his sense of duty again to put himself before the altar at Mia's side instead of Kevin. He knew that he was just as good as Jayden with a sword, he could easily have done it, but still Jayden chose to do it himself. Now, it was him that Mia was staring at, and the anger simmered just beneath the surface to think that perhaps none of this had been coincidence. Perhaps it was what Jayden had in mind all along.

"Come on Kevin." Mike told him, snapping him out of his thoughts as he and Emily finished their breakfast. "The beach is waiting!"

Emily hopped up on Mike's back, accepting a piggy back out to the car as Kevin just finished his bowl and left it on the table, before following them out. There, he found Jayden and Mia just finishing loading up. Jayden shut the trunk and pulled out the keys.

"Next stop, Lementor beach!" He announced cheerfully.

"I call shotgun!" Mia rushed out immediately, hopping into the passenger seat. Kevin couldn't help noticing the little smile crossing Jayden's face as he got in the drivers' seat and shook his head, clenching his fists tightly as he saw it. He was duty bound to follow Jayden's orders unquestioningly, and he would continue to do so, but that didn't mean he had to like it. As he got to the car and climbed into the back seat, where Mike and Emily were already sitting holding hands, eagerly looking forward to the day, he just leaned on the door, staring out of the window as Jayden pulled away. Being a fifth wheel sucked.


	2. The Beach

Laughter was normally a good thing, something to be enjoyed, something to be a part of. Unfortunately, Kevin wasn't part of it.

Mentor Ji had sent the team to the beach as a break, something for them to enjoy because of how hard they had been working. Kevin watched as the others had fun. They had started by playing Frisbee, but that quickly broke down. Right now, Mike was teaching Emily how to boogeyboard, (and, he suspected, loving every minute of seeing her in a bikini), while Mia was building a sandcastle. He had offered to help, but he just said he could go and spend time with Mike and Emily, rebuffing him yet again.

Jayden had played with them for a while, before he started to meditate. Mia was currently building a large, elaborate sandcastle around him, hoping to surprise him by the time he finally opened his eyes. The gleeful look in her eyes as she built up the walls around him, giggling was like a slap in his face. Every giggle was a knife to his heart. He hated feeling this way. He knew he had no rights to Mia's attention or her feelings, but his heart was just not listening to logic. He felt betrayed and angry whenever he saw her around Jayden. She was so clearly into him that it wasn't funny. He had to suppress his instinct to scream whenever he saw them together.

She was easily the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Seeing her in her pink and white striped swimming costume was doing nothing for his sanity as he watched her running around Jayden, building the walls up around him, laughing as she did so. He could see the way she looked at him in his speedo, and he knew that his "mysterious" persona played on her. She was an empathetic person, and just needed to know about and care for people, but Jayden wasn't just a closed book, he was a closed book in a padlocked box buried several feet underground! Only Mentor Ji knew anything about him before they came to the academy. Kevin never thought anything of it, it wasn't his place to question his Shogun, but gven the effect it had on Mia, he was starting to wonder if he didn't love it.

He was an open book. He offered the others the opportunity to talk to him so many times, it was almost a running joke. He knew about Emily missing her family, her sister especially, but she semed to get her comfort from Mia, and especially from Mike. Mike just didn't seem to have any baggage. Although he offered, Mike never talked to him about anything, other than video games, most of which he had never heard of. Mia again rarely talked about her home life. He knew she had a family, and the way she talked about them suggested that she thought fondly of them, but other than that, she tried to play big sister to everyone.

Jayden though just had this thing that no one knew anything about him. They had lived with him for ages, and so far not only could no one say what his favourite TV programme was, they didn't even know if he watched TV! He didn't play games, and unless he was in a planned outing like their last trip to the amusement park, he didn't even seem to leave the grounds. Mia loved mysteries, and Jayden was the biggest one of all.

He felt his muscles tighten, and his fists clenched as he saw her finishing off the fort she was building around Jayden. It should be him in that fort. He couldn't help feeling that way. As much as she seemed fine after their "you're a crap chef" talk, he knew that somewhere inside she had to resent him for it. No one liked the bearer of bad news, and he had been the one to shatter a delusion that had apparently been built up over years of self-denial. Jayden knew that as his Shogun Kevin would never defy any order given to him, regardless of the cost. It was the duty he had been trained for his entire life. As much as he hated to feel that way, he was beginning to think Jayden had played on that from the beginning.

He had insisted that Kevin talk to Mia about her cooking. While she would never say anything, he was sure she had to resent him for that, he was the messenger, and so he was the one that had shattered her illusions. He had told Kevin to hang back and took what should have been his place at Mia's side when she volunteered to offer herself as bait to Dayu. He had done everything to undermine him in her eyes, and the worst part was, he got away with it, and knew he would because Kevin would never confront him given his training.

As much as he wanted things to be different, all he felt all the time was anger. Whenever they were eating together, he choked on almost every bite as he watched her staring at him. Whenever he saw one of Jayden's arrogant little smirks, he wanted to smash his face in.

He looked to where Mike and Emily had resumed a game of Frisbee and he held up a hand, indicating he wanted it. Mike took measure and threw it.

Kevin ran after it, backwards so he could claim ignorance, and jumped, knowing just fine where he would end up. He smashed through Mia's sandcastle and into Jayden, sending him tumbling to the sand. As he peeled himself off the Red Ranger, he just smirked.

"Sorry, I didn't see you." He told him, before picking up the Frisbee and running off to rejoin Emily and Mike. Mia helped Jayden up, and dusted off as much of the sand as she could.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself." She told him as she dusted him off, gesturing to what was left of her sandcastle.

"I guess I zoned out for a while." Jayden replied with a smirk. She just giggled.

"You think?" She said sarcastically gesturing to a near three-foot high wall that was left. "I was beginning to wonder if I'd get a moat built in time for you rejoining us for the picnic."

"What makes you think I'd miss that?" Jayden asked. Mia just ran off to the car to get the picnic basket.

As he heard her laughing, he couldn't help but feel like she was laughing at him. Jayden saw him and smiled, that same little smirk that Kevin had known for so long, and was quickly growing to hate. The same smirk that if he wasn't restrained by his upbringing, his passion sincerely wanted him to punch straight through his skull.

"It feels a little strange not doing any training at all in the day doesn't it?" Jayden asked him. Kevin only nodded in response, scared that if he opened his mouth, he'd say something he regretted long before he could think about it. Jayden reached into a bag, pulling out two shinai. "I guess I find it a little hard to switch off."

Kevin again just nodded. One of the things that galled him when he thought about it was that both he and Jayden were very similar in a lot of ways. Both of them had spent most of their lives wrapped up in their training. They were both serious and disciplined, and both of them were bloody-minded and stubborn when they were set on doing something. After he had told Jayden what he went through getting the Swordfish Zord, Jayden had told him that when trying to master the Beetle Disk, he got dumped on his ass more times than he cared to count.

"There's no one around." Jayden told him. "Well, no one but that bald, fat guy and the weird kid he hangs around with, but they seem to be beating the shit out of each other with shinai too, so no one will care. Fancy a little sparring?"

Kevin thought about it for a while. He was being given an open window, an opportunity to take out every one of his frustrations on the guy that was slowly but surely taking everything that mattered to him. He wanted nothing more than to take the wooden training sword and beat Jayden with it. He always felt good in a fight. It wasn't that he was naturally aggressive, or even enjoyed violence; it was more because when he was fighting, things were simple. Someone got in his way, he would cut them down. If someone opposed him, he would put them on their ass. He'd drop them, and stop them. Put them down and make sure they weren't getting back up and move on. Unfortunately life outside of a fight wasn't that simple.

Mercifully, Mia ran over with the picnic basket, her bright smile bewitching his mind yet again. All thoughts of anger melted away as he looked at her. Mike and Emily rushed over too as they saw her lay out the blanket. Kevin just shook his head.

"Maybe after we've eaten." He suggested. Jayden just smiled and nodded before going to help Mia set out the picnic. Kevin saw him putting out Tupperware containers filled with salads and sandwiches, nothing that required any real level of cooking since Mia had learned her lesson about her cooking, and he felt his anger building again. Mia took a plastic bottle of water and squirted Jayden with it, at which he just laughed and threw potato salad into her face. As they ran around playfully, he just made his way over to the blanket and knelt down with Mike and Emily.

"Where's the turkey?" He asked as he surveyed the dishes. Emily looked around, finding a dish and handed it to him.

"Shinai?" Mike asked sarcastically. "Do you two ever switch off?"

"Jayden figured we might take in a little sparring." Kevin replied curtly, determined not to say any more lest he give away what he was really feeling. He knew that anger and jealousy were destructive emotions that could shape reality and perspective, and hated what they did to him, but it just made sense. He and Jayden were so much alike, the only thing separating them was Jayden's mystique, and the fact it wasn't him that had shattered her self-delusion about her cooking. That was just one of the few things that separated them. Jayden had never done anything to hurt Mia. Kevin, on the other hand, had been the one to tell her that her cooking, the thing she loved doing the most and prided herself on, was practically dangerous.

"I guess maybe later." Mike replied with a shrug. "I know I like seeing you move in that swimsuit. Of course I might prefer to see you..."

"Mike!" Emily shrieked, blushing a little as he complimented her. He held her and laughed, kissing her cheek in a somewhat sickening display. Kevin knew he shouldn't resent them for having found each other, but it was getting old. They were together, he got it, did they really need to rub it in his face?

He was quickly finding everyone that was happy a source of anger. He wanted to dump a bottle of water over Mike and Emily as they made eyes at each other, only he wasn't sure if that would just make them even more sickening. When Mia and Jayden returned from their dummy fight, they were covered in sand with wet hair and clothes, laughing and joking. He could only see them laughing at him.

"Turkey!" Jayden said with a smile. "Do you mind Kevin?"

Kevin just shook his head and offered him the container as Jayden took a sandwich. It wasn't as if this was the only thing he had taken from him.


	3. Metamont's Pet

The following morning, Kevin was already out in the training yard as the others came out from breakfast. He had gotten up early, but then that was because he had an early night. With the exception of Kevin, who had spent a lot of time by himself, making the excuse he was minding the picnic, they had all come back from the beach drenched and covered in sand as a result of their fun day on the beach. When they all went to get cleaned up afterwards, they had come back wearing their pyjamas and dressing gowns for comfort. Having spent the whole day watching Mia running around with Jayden, Kevin had made his excuses and went to bed deciding that he'd had enough.

"You went to bed early." Jayden commented as the others went to collect their training swords. "You missed a great games night."

"I wasn't really in the mood." Kevin told him honestly, without getting into too much detail. "I guess the sea air must do something to me."

"I suppose if I'd had your last day at the beach, I might not be too keen." Jayden chuckled. Kevin couldn't help feeling like he was patronising him. Both of them had their own hard day reclaiming a Zord, but Jayden's had been a day spent swinging the Fire Smasher again and again until he collapsed from exhaustion. Kevin had just fainted from heat stroke while fishing. At least, that's what it seemed to Kevin like he was saying.

Mentor Ji came out, causing them all to look around. He hadn't said that he would be overseeing their training today. They all lined up before him as he took his place on the porch.

"Yesterday you all enjoyed a day of rest, so I expect you all to step up a bit today." He began, looking to Jayden. "Jayden and I were talking last night, and he agreed that today we would try something a little different."

"Kevin, you're up." Jayden declared, gesturing to the mat. "We will have one match at a time, one on one."

Kevin grabbed a training sword and went to the mat, but Jayden just shook his head and pointed to the practice weapon.

"You won't need that." He told him, pulling out his Samuraizer. They all watched him curiously as he traced his symbol, morphing before them. "Today we're going to ramp it up a little."

"Wait a minute. You want us to fight morphed?" Mike asked him.

"Our enemies are ready to take it to the next level at a moment's notice." Mentor Ji explained as he gestured to the mat. "We must be ready to do the same. A wooden sword is a substitute for a katana, but it is not exactly like the real thing. Nor is fighting without your powers."

"So what do you say Kevin?" Jayden asked him. Kevin gave him a little smirk as he caught a slightly concerned look from Mia. Jayden was a great swordsman; Kevin knew that, but then, so was he.

"Anything you say." He replied, before morphing himself.

Some way off though, a stranger was watching them. He had long, white robes, and a wooden, beaded necklace. His hair was dark, and shoulder-length and he had a small beard and moustache. His eyes were intense, and predatory, rarely blinking, and his gaze never shifting from the battle as he watched them. He clutched the wrapped up sword he had with him tightly as he watched.

"They are both impressive warriors." He commented to himself. "Perhaps I was premature in believing the Red Ranger is the best test of my Uramasa."

He continued to watch as Jayden and Kevin continued their bout. He was impressed by Jayden's skill, he had been ever since he had first seen him in battle, but now that he had a chance to see Kevin in action, he was starting to wonder if perhaps there was another test of his own prowess waiting for him.

"It's a shame I have business with Lord Xandred." Dekker sighed as he turned back into his Nighlock form and headed for a gap back to the netherworld. "Perhaps I will get the chance to observe you both again and make my choice."

Kevin was in the sitting room of the Academy following sword training, studying some of the footage from his bout with Jayden. They had fought for some time, and he had heard more than a few compliments from the others, both for himself, and also for Jayden, but although he had scored a few points on the Red Ranger, in the end, Jayden had scored more and beaten him, showing him up once again.

He still couldn't understand how he lost. He had practiced the sword just as long as Jayden had. He kept pouring over the videos, looking in desperation for some flaw in his technique. It was so frustrating trying to find where he had gone wrong. He had done every stance, every swing, every movement thousands, possibly millions of times since he was a kid to be precise to the last millimetre, and yet somehow Jayden had found gaps in his defence. He didn't notice as Mia came in behind him.

"Are you still at this?" She asked him. "Mentor Ji told you not to obsess over it."

"I just don't understand it; I have to be doing something wrong!" He told her. "If I mess up in battle..."

"It's not like there are any of us who don't mess up." She told him. "Look, we all know that you're good, you're the best I've ever seen..."

"I'm not as good as Jayden though." He interrupted her before he could stop himself. She didn't really know how to take that. He sounded a lot harsher than he normally did when he said it, almost as though he was angry or bitter. She could never remember hearing him sound like that before. Just then the Gap sensor sounded and Jayden showed up.

"There's a Nighlock in the woods." He rushed out. "Come on guys, let's go!"

Kevin just got up dutifully, with a barely registered snarl of frustration as he shut off the recording. Mia watched him go, feeling a little odd about what she had seen. What was wrong with him? Although he was hard on himself, he never beat himself up this much before when he was bested in training.

A little while later, they arrived in a clearing a little later, finding people running screaming from the latest Nighlock. He was a strange looking thing, with a large, spiked shield strapped to his back, rising over his large, shiny black head. He was carrying a whip, which he wrung in his hands, expectantly as he awaited them.

"Give it up, Nighlock!" Jayden snapped as they arrived. "You're not hurting anyone here!"

"And who's going to stop me?" He cackled as he saw them. "I am Metamont, the baddest of the bad!"

"Like we haven't heard every other freak claim the same thing." Mike scoffed in response, a little bit of a smirk crossing his face as he drew his Spin Sword. "Back up Metamont!"

"You know calling back-up doesn't sound like a bad idea!" He replied as he smashed his whip to the ground. The Rangers all stood, trying to maintain their balance as the ground shook ominously.

"Why do I get the feeling this isn't good?" Mia asked as Jayden caught her, holding her up as she stumbled. Just then, they all looked up in awe as the long lost Tiger Zord burst forth from the earth. It had been lost in battle back when Xandred and his army had been sealed in the netherworld. The then Red Ranger had sacrificed it in order to seal the crevice that they had fallen into, but at the cost of being sealed inside itself.

"The Tiger Zord?" Jayden gasped as he saw it. "I thought it was destroyed!"

"No, it was only sealed in the Netherworld with me." Metamont corrected him. "Now, I've tamed him, and he's my little pet!"

"He tamed the Tiger Zord?" Emily asked. "Is that even possible?"

"Why don't we ask him?" Metamont screeched as he snapped his whip. The Rangers scattered as it launched a breath attack on them, sending them to the ground. Kevin started to get to his knees, looking around as the others also prepared for the next attack. He glanced across, seeing Mia's ankle was caught up in a root, and she was struggling to free it, distracting her somewhat and slowing her down. Metamont got a sick little smirk on his face as he looked over to her.

"You know my pet is working out so well, I think perhaps I should get another." He commented, reaching his hand back to send his whip out in her direction. Kevin could see that she wouldn't free herself in time, and that he was too far away for him to stop him. Instead, he ran across, slicing through the root with his Spin Sword as he threw her to the ground. The glowing whip smashed down across him, and he felt a wave of energy penetrate him deeply.

His body was racked in pain as the energy coursed through him and he fell back to his knees. His mind and his heart flashed with agony and anger. Thoughts of the last few days were pulled to the fore of his mind especially. He looked over to where Mia was getting back up, being helped up by Emily, when he felt a pair of hands on him. He looked around seeing Jayden.

"Kevin, are you alright?" He asked. Kevin's teeth clenched and his blood boiled as he saw the man who had taken her from him. He was the one to save her, and yet she still worshipped him. He still took every opportunity to show him up in front of her, and make himself look good at his expense. Kevin snapped up, grabbing Jayden and threw him off him, slamming him into a tree and stunning him.

"What was that about?" Mike asked as he came to Jayden's side, checking on him.

"Say hello to my new pet." Metamont declared, gesturing to Kevin. "Blue Ranger, attack!"

As he smashed his whip to the ground, Kevin rushed forward, his sword raised as he charged Emily first, knocking her sword aside as he scythed a blow across her chest. He turned towards Mia, and his hand paused for a second as he stared at her, holding her sword before herself defensively, but it shook uneasily in her hand.

"Kevin, please!" She shrieked. "We don't want to fight you!"

As Metamont re-asserted his control with another crack of the whip, he was about to strike when Mike leapt onto his back, grabbing him tightly. He held him with all his strength, trying to restrain him.

"Snap out of it!" Mike yelled, trying to get Kevin to see sense. Kevin however, managed to roll the shoulder, dumping Kevin over his shoulder onto the ground. As the three Rangers got up, he placed the blue disk on his Spin Sword.

"Dragon Splash!" He yelled savagely, swinging wildly, scattering them to the ground. They de-morphed as they landed, clearly injured on the ground. As he came closer, he saw Mia looking up at him, bleeding from a split in her right brow. He found himself pausing as he looked down on her.

"Blue Ranger!" Metamont called out as he was sent flying by Jayden's attack. The Red Ranger had left the others to deal with Kevin, reasoning that the best way to get Kevin back onside was to break the hold over him at the source. Kevin turned and leapt through the air, narrowly missing Jayden with a slash as he landed, cutting off his route to Metamont. Kevin stood facing Jayden, preparing a guard.

Jayden came to the side of his fallen friends, and realised his position. He was now standing alone against a Nighlock, the Tiger Zord, and one of his own Rangers. Although he had beaten Kevin earlier, it was far from an easy battle. Placing the Red Disk on his Spin Sword, he activated it, bringing it down, casting up a blast that covered their escape. He knew that he would have to regroup to find another way.

"Coward!" Metamont taunted him as the smoke cleared, certain that Jayden hadn't gone far enough that he wouldn't hear him. However, he felt a cramp and looked down as he felt himself beginning to dry out. He needed to return to the Sanzu River. "I guess my luck's holding out. Blue Ranger, wait with the Tiger Zord. I will call on you soon enough."

Kevin placed his Spin Sword back on his belt and did as he was told dutifully.

Meanwhile, from a vantage point a little way off, Dekker was watching. He sneered as he watched Metamont disappear into a crack.

"The Blue Ranger finally found some passion to fight with." He commented. "The Red Ranger's tactical withdrawal has saved his strength for their next battle. Perhaps then I will know which one will be the greatest test of my Usamara."

He turned back into his human form as he left to follow Kevin and the Tiger Zord at a safe distance, being careful not to be seen. He was confident that the two Rangers would meet again soon enough, and when they did, he would be watching.

Over at the academy, Mentor Ji was helping Emily, Mike and Mia with their injuries. It was only good luck and Jayden's quick thinking that had stopped things being worse. Mike was busy strapping up Emily's wrist.

"Are you sure...?"

"Trust me, I've hurt myself enough times to know the difference between a sprain and a break." She assured him, looking a little sheepish. "I told you I was accident prone."

"I just can't believe Kevin bushwhacked us like that." Mike answered. "I mean, I know Metamont did something to him, but we're his friends!"

"That's why you got hurt." Mentor Ji chipped in as he finished cleaning the cut over Mia's eye and placed a band aid over it. Mike and Emily just looked at each other a little surprised to hear him talk that way.

"Are you saying we should have taken him out?" Mike asked him. "In case you hadn't noticed, we're all on the same side."

"Sometimes sacrifices have to be made." Mentor Ji told him. "That's what Jayden's predecessor knew when he ordered the Tiger Zord into the crevice."

"And look how that turned out." Mike said sarcastically.

"Jayden's resist symbol protected him from Metamont's powers." Mentor Ji told them. "It is possible to get Kevin back, but it is unlikely that he will just stand there and let us break the spell. You all know from direct experience how dangerous he can be."

"But when he was fighting us, he paused." Mia told him. "When he saw me, he didn't finish me when he had the chance."

"It is possible that Metamont's power was not total, but he has been under his spell for some time now." Mentor Ji reminded them. "It is possible that next time we may not be so lucky."

"So we just treat him like an enemy?" Mike asked him.

"Can you afford not to?" Mentor Ji asked him. "You hesitated because Metamont used your friend against you, and you ended up injured, weakened as a result. Next time, you may not have a choice. Next time your lives may be in danger."

He got up, taking a blank disk from a box in the corner.

"Jayden and I are going to prepare for the next battle." He told them. "I suggest you all do the same."

As he left, Emily came to Mike as he threw his hands up in disbelief.

"He really wants us to take out one of the best swordsmen we have now?" Mike asked him. "Sometimes I think he's been sitting around in the Academy a little too long."

"Mike, he's only doing what he thinks is best." Emily said, putting her arms around him.

"So you'd do it?" He asked her. She just looked away, unable to answer him. She had no desire to face any of her friends in battle. Training was one thing, but an actual fight was a different matter.

"He stopped; you both saw it didn't you?" Mia asked them. "He could have finished us, but he didn't."

"He was interrupted..."

"No, it was more than that." Mia interrupted her. "Yes, Metamont called him off to save him, but before that, he had a good ten, maybe twenty seconds. With how good he is, if he really wanted to destroy us; that would be nineteen seconds longer than it would take to decide where to stick a sword. He could have chosen which organ..."

"We get it Mia." Mike told her, looking to Emily. "And we believe it too."

"So we're all agreed. If we have to face Kevin again, we stop him, but we don't hurt him." Mia answered. Mike and Emily just looked to each other, turning into each other and holding each other.

"Agreed." Emily told her.

"Agreed." Mike replied, leaning in and kissing her softly. "Come on, we need to scan the city. Something tells me with a Ranger and a Zord; it won't be long before we hear something."


	4. The Samurai Duel

Mentor Ji was in his private chamber, preparing for the battle ahead as he focussed his symbol power onto a blank disk.

Creating a power disk was not an easy task at the best of times, requiring a lot of concentration, and a deep mastery of symbol power, but this time both he and Jayden had agreed that it was well worth the effort. Jayden had told him how his resist symbol had protected him from Metatone's attempt to bring him under his spell, and so they had theorised that if they ramped up the power a little by putting it into a power disk to use with one of the Ranger's swords, then it may be enough to break the hold Metatone had over Kevin.

His task was complicated further by the fact that the Tiger Zord was also under Metatone's command. He had to ensure he put enough power into it to break the spell on both of them, requiring every ounce of his discipline and skill with the ways of power symbols. The disk was glowing as he continued to inscribe the appropriate symbols onto it. Sweat adorned his brow as he concentrated on his task. Jayden came into the room.

"Is it ready yet?" He asked.

"It should be." Mentor Ji replied as he finished his task. The disk returned to white, with black marks etched into it. "Has Kevin returned?"

"No, but I have a feeling it won't be long." Jayden replied. "How are the others?"

"They're fine. The injuries are minor thanks to you." He assured him.

"Why do I get the feeling there's something troubling you?" Jayden asked him. Mentor Ji just sighed, looking to the Red Ranger seriously.

"They are not prepared to do what must be done." He told him. "When I explained that we may have to face Kevin again, and that we may not have the luxury of going lightly on him..."

"You can't blame them, Kevin is a friend." Jayden replied. Mentor Ji just nodded.

"That is true, but he is also your friend." He answered. "Yet I know I can rely on you to do what needs to be done."

Jayden just nodded morosely, unable to articulate an answer. Just like the others, he didn't really want to hurt Kevin, but unlike the others, he was prepared to do so if he needed to. He had been raised in the way of the Samurai all his life, and it had encompassed his being in a way it hadn't for the others. They all had other things in their lives. Mia had her dreams, Emily had her sister and the family farm, Mike...well...he only took the Samurai thing seriously when he needed to. Jayden had very little outside of his training, and part of that was always preparation for sacrifice, even if it meant putting the wellbeing of a friend and ally in danger.

"You explained it to them though, didn't you?" Jayden asked him. He had already decided that he would go and face Kevin himself. Not only was he the closest to him in terms of skill, he also knew that his friends' reluctance to hurt Kevin could easily lead to them taking chances that they couldn't afford to take. It could cause them to hesitate at a crucial moment. Knowing his technique, Jayden was sure there wouldn't be many, and even a moment's hesitation could mean the difference between victory and defeat, between life and death. Mentor Ji just nodded.

"They didn't say so to my face, but I feel that they still disagree." Mentor Ji advised him sagely. "I understand why, but their minds are clouded to the truth. They didn't need to say it, but I know they will all have decided not to harm Kevin."

"There's something else isn't there?" Jayden asked him. "You can tell me."

"It is a concern I have had for some time." He said quietly, looking to Jayden as he got up, handing Jayden the disk. It was just part of the unspoken bond between them that Jayden didn't need to tell him that he would take the mission. He knew as well as Mentor Ji none of the others were prepared for the task. Jayden could tell what was coming, but mercifully his Samuraizer bleeped before he was drawn into this discussion again.

"It's Kevin, he's shown up." Jayden told him. "I altered the Gap sensor. The alarm will go off in about five minutes. That should give me a suitable head start. If the others won't help, then at least they won't get in my way."

With that, he ran off, morphing as he did so.

Over on a building site on the outskirts of town, Metatone had returned after re-energising himself in the Sanzu river, and was directing the Tiger Zord and Kevin as they attacked, sending the workmen fleeing. The Tiger Zord just sat, looming over the scene as Kevin cleared the workers out with practiced ease. As Jayden arrived, he saw that none of the workers appeared to be trapped, or seriously hurt. Fortunately the sight of a gigantic robot and a Nighlock had caused most of them to flee for their lives before Kevin could do any real damage. He skidded to a halt in the clearing.

"What happened to your back-up?" Metatone taunted him as he saw him. "Are they licking their wounds?"

"How about a challenge?" Jayden asked him. "Kevin against me, one-on-one."

"Please, why would I agree to that?" He asked him. Jayden took a deep breath.

"Because I'm sure your pet thinks he has what it takes to beat me." Jayden replied. "And I'm sure under your influence; he has every intention of destroying me."

"He does what I command him to!" Metatone laughed.

"Let's see about that." Jayden answered, turning towards Kevin. "She's alright Kevin; I just want you to know that."

Kevin glared through his visor at Jayden, an intense hatred building in him. He knew what he was talking about, and a part of him was relieved.

"I took care of her." Jayden told him. "She was certainly grateful when I tended to her wounds."

Kevin's fury built into an all-encompassing rage as he thought about it. He could see Jayden taking advantage of that. He hadn't tried to hurt her, in fact he had tried to do everything he could to stop himself once he had seen her lying on the ground. He could imagine Jayden with his hands on her, cleaning and tending to his wounds, likely reminding her all the time that it was Kevin who had inflicted them on her, poisoning her against him. His hand strayed to the hilt of his Spin Sword. Metatone saw what was happening, and knew what Jayden was doing.

"Blue Ranger!" He called out.

"What's the matter, don't you have confidence in your little pet?" Jayden asked him. "I suppose I can see why. He's no match for me! He's not even a man!"

Jayden hated every word coming from his mouth, but he knew that he needed to do this. He needed to get Kevin to fight him if he was going to get close enough to use the Resist Disk.

"You're pathetic, and she knows it!" Jayden roared. "You're not worthy of her!"

With that, Kevin had heard enough, and whipped out his sword, confronting Jayden. The Red Ranger pulled out his Spin Sword, just in time to parry the first savage blow. His plan was working, he just hoped he would keep his head long enough to see it through.

The other Rangers ran into the main room as the Gap Sensor's alarm sounded. Mentor Ji was waiting for them.

"Kevin and the Tiger Zord are back." He informed them.

"Where's Jayden?" Mike asked, looking around, but by the tone of his voice, Mentor Ji could tell that he had already figured out the answer.

"He has already gone to battle Kevin." He informed them.

The other Rangers ran out without another word, hoping that they weren't already too late.

Back at the building site, Jayden and Kevin were struggling hard in their duel. Although he hadn't ordered it, he appeared to now be getting into the show, and so hadn't ordered the Tiger Zord to attack. Jayden's presumption that his arrogance over his puppet would influence his actions was paying off. They parted ways a little, taking the time to analyse their opponents and prepare for a new assault. Jayden held his sword over his shoulder, taking the weight off his arms as Kevin maintained his position, and they started to circle each other. Even the most flawless of guards had holes in it, and both of them had taken and dished out a fair number of attacks. Jayden was just looking for the time to act, needing to get close to him. With Kevin, he knew that wouldn't be easy.

"Jayden, what are you doing!" Mike called out as his friends arrived. Jayden knew they would be here soon, but he didn't know the fight had already taken that long.

"Snap out of it Kevin!" Mia called out. Jayden watched as Kevin's gaze shifted from him to Mia for a second. "Come back to us!"

"No talking during the fight!" Metatone called out as he blasted the three Rangers to the ground. Jayden took the opportunity while Kevin was distracted, launching into the attack. Kevin managed to parry the first blow, but only barely. Pressing the attack, Jayden kept the pressure up.

As Mike started to get to his feet, he saw a pair of leather boots walking past him. As they got up, they saw a mysterious stranger carrying something wrapped in a blanket standing before him.

"The battle will not last much longer." Dekker told them, observing the battle unfolding.

"Who are you?" Emily asked, thinking it was somewhat odd that anyone would still be here, but moreover, this guy intimated that he seemed to know what was going on.

"It doesn't matter who I am, all that matters is who's winning." He answered off-handedly as he watched the battle, his gaze never shifting from the battle unfolding. "The warrior in blue is going to lose."

He observed the action as Jayden and Kevin each struggled for position.

"The warrior in blue is fighting with passion, but he fights like he's looking for a training point. It's different than fighting for your life." He continued to commentate as his mind raced, thinking of the possibilities as he watched the battle, seeing not only where the swords were, but the possibilities of where they would go next, imagining five moves ahead from every possible movement, and five moves from every one of those. "You have to watch your opponent like a hawk. Be prepared for every possibility and utilise every advantage."

"Kevin!" Mia screamed out as a girder fell, parting him and Jayden. The Red Ranger had cut a support chain, dropping it to part them and get some space. The stranger just smirked as he saw them stand ready.

"The Red Warrior has an excellent stance." He commented. "It reduces arm fatigue. It's easy to get tired in a long fight."

"They're going to..."

"The Red Warrior is looking for a decisive blow." He told them. "It won't be long."

Just then, they renewed their battle. In a savage flurry of blows, Jayden finally found his opportunity as he hooked their swords together, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Blue Ranger.

"Sorry I have to do this Kevin!" He told him, setting the Resist Disk spinning. With one quick motion, using all his strength, he threw Kevin's guard aside, before bringing his Spin Sword across Kevin's chest. The Blue Ranger fell to his knees, at which a dark cloud flew out of him. He could feel a lot of his anger subsiding, and his mind clearing. As he de-morphed, he fell forward, face-first to the ground.

"My puppet!" Metatone screamed as he felt his power over him fading.

"Kevin!" Mia screamed as they rushed over to help him. She turned him over as they looked into his eyes, finding to their relief that he was still breathing. "Are you alright?"

"What...Oh my God, what have I done?" He asked them. Mike and Mia helped him back to his feet.

"Jayden, are you crazy?" Mike yelled at him. "You could have killed him!"

"We can discuss it later." Jayden cut him off, pulling out his Lion Folding Zord. "I'll take care of the Tiger Zord. The rest of you deal with the Nighlock."

Meanwhile, a little way off, Dekker just smiled. He had no interest in what happened from now on. Given what he had seen, he was confident Metatone's number was up. It was only a matter of time.

"The Red Ranger is a truly worthy opponent." He said in an impressed tone as he turned away. "He will truly be a great test of my Urumasa."

He paused for a moment as he thought about something.

"Though it might be worth keeping an eye on the Blue Ranger." He said thoughtfully as he turned back into his Nighlock form. "He may become worthy of notice too." With that, he turned to walk away, disappearing into a gap.

After the battle, the Rangers were back at the academy, taking an opportunity to relax after getting their wounds checked out. Jayden smiled as he watched Emily, Mike and Mia playing an ancient board game, kind of a millennia-old cross between chess and snakes and ladders with their Folding Zords. He loved seeing them enjoying themselves after a hard day. He took a moment to look to the newest power disk in their collection, the Tiger Disk. It had been a hard battle, but instead of regaining only one ally, they had actually managed to regain two. The Tiger had been freed by the Resist Disk, and was now back where it belonged.

Thinking about this, he made his way outside to where Kevin had gone after they returned. He had barely spoken to anyone other than through necessity as the checked him out after the battle. Jayden coughed to announce his presence.

"We missed you at dinner." He told him. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm a bit tender." He admitted. "I think you might have cracked a rib."

"I couldn't afford to take any chances with an opponent as strong as you, but for what it's worth I'm sorry." He replied. "That's not exactly what I meant though."

"I feel pretty lousy." Kevin admitted. "I hurt the others, I attacked you…"

"You did that under the Nighlock's control." Jayden reminded him. "However, there was more to it and we both know that."

Kevin looked away, ashamed to even be talking to Jayden. He never would have believed he could hurt any of them, least of all Mia, and yet he had been made to do so. Jayden looked to the Power Disk in his hand.

"He spent years sealed in the Netherworld because of my predecessor." Jayden told him. "Who knows what had to do to him. To know that he had been sent there by his master, the one he trusted more than anyone? I can only imagine that he must have felt…"

"Betrayed." Kevin interrupted him, looking to Jayden. "When I was under, all I felt was anger. Every slight transgression that any of you had ever done, no matter how slight just came to me and seemed so much worse."

"His power worked by enhancing the anger in his victims." Jayden replied. "It used that to control you."

Kevin sighed as he could see where this was going.

"That means there has to have been anger there before." He continued. "Kevin, I guessed how you feel about Mia. I've kind of had an idea for a while now, and I used it against you, to make you fight me. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for what I said."

"Why? It's all true." Kevin muttered as he started to walk away. Jayden caught his shoulder, causing him to stop. He turned back.

"I'm sorry too." He whispered. "I let my own jealousy get out of hand, and that Nighlock nearly used it to destroy everyone I care about."

"Jealousy?" Jayden asked him. Kevin just nodded in response.

"I see how she looks at you, and I see how much time you guys spend together." Kevin told him. "I guess I just wished it was me. I didn't say anything and it just kept eating at me until I started thinking about things, and…I have to admit that now some of what I thought seems kind of stupid."

"Like?" Jayden asked him.

"That wedding assignment," Kevin began, looking to his Shogun, his sense of duty forbidding him to withhold it or give false tongue. "I volunteered to be the groom, but you pulled rank on me and put yourself in that position. I couldn't help feeling like you did that deliberately."

"I did." Jayden told him flatly. "But not for the reason you think. Do you know why I asked you to sit in the audience?"

Kevin just looked at him, not understanding what he was about to say. Did he really want to hear this?

"I knew that the bride and groom were going to be in danger, the groom especially." Jayden told him.

"I would have…"

"I don't doubt you were brave enough to risk it." Jayden interrupted him. "They were taking the brides, but as the next closest person, and one they didn't need, I knew the groom was in danger of being hurt. I was relying on the rest of you to hang back and keep us safe…"

"Protection position." Kevin breathed, suddenly thinking about it, almost kicking himself for his mistake. It was standard practice, almost the first thing a samurai or bodyguard would learn. Despite popular opinion, standing in front of or next to their charge was not the best vantage point for a bodyguard. It was too easy for someone to come at them from behind before they could respond. The most advantageous position and best vantage point was about four feet behind the charge.

That way, they could see someone coming from the front, sides and rear, and if they came from behind, the bodyguard would have a second to react before the attacker got to their charge. Four feet behind…around the same distance as the altar was from the front pew. He couldn't see it before. Jayden just nodded, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I knew I could rely on you to make sure nothing happened to her if things went wrong with the plan." Jayden explained. "As for me and Mia? There is no me and Mia. At least, not as far as I'm concerned."

"I don't understand." Kevin replied. "All that time, the way she is with you…?"

"I have to admit, I kind of noticed that too." Jayden admitted sadly. "I had a feeling when we were on that assignment she was starting to see me differently, but I just don't feel that way about her."

"You don't?" Kevin asked him, beginning to feel a little mix of anger and elation. He was happy to hear Jayden say that he wasn't into Mia, but then he wasn't happy to think he was leading her on. Jayden shook his head.

"I guess I haven't been fair to her." Jayden admitted. "It's just…she's a friend, and I didn't want to hurt her. I was kind of hoping if I gave it enough time she'd just get the idea and let it go."

"If you don't mind me saying so…"

"Yeah, it's a cop out. I admit that now." Jayden sighed. "I promise I'll talk to her."

"Just…let her down easily would you?" Kevin asked him.

"You can be sure of that." Jayden replied. Just then, Emily came running out, carrying her Ape Folding Zord.

"We're starting a new game!" She called out to them. "Come play with us!"

Jayden and Kevin pulled out their Folding Zords and smiled at each other as they made their way back towards the academy, but Mentor Ji showed up and gestured to Jayden to follow him. The Red Ranger just waved the others off.

"I'll join you shortly." He told them, making his way over to their Mentor. He had a feeling that they were going to have that talk they were beginning before the battle. Mentor Ji quickly confirmed his suspicion by calling him into his private chamber and closing the door for privacy.

"I feel that the problem is escalating." He began seriously. "I fear that it may no longer be possible to ignore."

"What happened?" Jayden asked him. They had spoken of this issue a few times, but he wanted to hear this to see what had caused Mentor Ji to make his decision.

"When I explained what needed to be done, Mike was the first to defy me." The Mentor answered. "It is not the first time..."

"I doubt it'll be the last either." Jayden stated, considering what Ji was telling him. "However..."

"It isn't the fact he defied me that is most troubling though." He interrupted Jayden. "Emily and Mia took their lead from him."

"That may just be a coincidence." Jayden argued. "None of us wanted to hurt Kevin."

"Nevertheless, you know as well as I do, he is very close to the girls." He reminded him. "He is brave, and has the ability to inspire faith in others, but I fear that quality may become a hindrance. He has a dangerous influence on the girls, Emily especially."

"What are you suggesting?" Jayden asked him.

"For now, we keep an eye on him and hope that he begins to take his training more seriously." He told him. "However, if his attitude to authority does not improve, then it may become necessary to consider alternative ways to straighten things out."

"I trust your judgement." Jayden replied, bowing to his Mentor out of respect, before leaving. He knew that Mike's behaviour troubled Mentor Ji, and he had voiced his concerns a few times recently, but this time it sounded like he was coming to the end of his patience.

Jayden hoped that it wouldn't come to anything, but right now he had something else on his mind. In the near future, he was going to have to talk to Mia. As he got to the main room, the others looked around as he arrived. He smiled and held up his Lion Zord.

"Is there room for one more?" He asked them as he came over, taking care not to sit next to Mia. He had to talk to her, but today had already been so hard, he figured one more day wouldn't hurt. Why not end a bad day on a good note?


	5. Jayden's Talk

The following morning was not a fun experience for Jayden. He knew that he had serious talks coming up with Mia, and with Mike. As a result of Mentor Ji's concerns over Mike's attitude, he was sure that Ji wanted him to give Mike a warning or something, they really couldn't afford to lose a member of the team, but then again they couldn't really afford to have a divided team either. Jayden generally liked Mike, he was a little more carefree and at times he lightened the mood, but there was a part of him that was troubling.

It wasn't that he was dumb, or that he was bad, he seemed to know what the right thing was, but at times it just seemed like he identified the wrong choice, and then made it just for the sake of it. He constantly got on Ji's nerves with his lackadaisical attitude to training, his somewhat questionable way of dealing with the others, and his, to be frank, constant habit of questioning Mentor Ji and Jayden in their decisions. He understood that Mike had been raised and trained differently from the others, but he had to acknowledge that there was a somewhat troubling edge to it.

He never asked to be a Shogun, but he had accepted from a young age that he would lead a team of Samurai if they were needed. For most of his life, Jayden had trained to be a leader. As a result, he knew one thing to be true, if a team was to function effectively, it had to have one leader, one direction. Mike had charisma, he could get people to believe in him. It was a trait that would make him a great leader. Unfortunately, it also threatened to create a rift in the team. Jayden knew that Kevin would march straight into the Sanzu River if he asked him. The others though could be swayed, Emily especially since she was now with Mike. It meant that if Mike opposed him, there was a danger the team would be divided at a time they really needed to all be on the same page.

As Mia came in, carrying a plate of toast, one of her first baby-steps into re-educating herself to cook, he sighed. He needed to talk to her. Mike may become a problem, but he knew that he was a strong and stubborn person. His element of Forest was an apt one, because when he was confronted, if he chose to stand, he was as immovable as a giant redwood. Confronting him was a last resort as far as Jayden was concerned. He hoped that Mike would take his lead from the others and learn to accept the Samurai culture of his own accord. He had a feeling that otherwise, things would turn for the worse.

He looked over and caught a knowing glance from Kevin. He had promised the Blue Ranger that he would talk to Mia. He knew she had a thing for him, but the fact was he just didn't feel about her that way. He never had. She was smart, funny, thoughtful...she had many qualities that he admired, but whenever he thought about her, whenever he looked at her, he simply felt no differently about her than he did with his other friends. He had at one time hoped that if he ignored it, she would move on of her own accord, but now he acknowledged that it was something of a cop out. As uncomfortable as it would be, he knew that although it would no doubt hurt, she deserved to know that her feelings were misdirected.

"Mia, could I talk to you for a moment?" Jayden asked her, nodding in the direction of the door. She smiled at him, something that almost made him feel worse. He opened the door, allowing her to go before following her.

"Mia, there's something I really need to talk to you about." He began, but found himself struggling with how to bring up the subject. "It's...sort of to do with...you know...the weddings?"

"I have to admit it was a fun mission." Mia admitted. "I got to wear that dress, and we had that ceremony..."

"Mia, did you read anything into that?" He asked her. Mia turned to him, her face betraying her fear. It looked like she had an idea what he was about to say. He didn't want to hurt her, in fact that was the last thing he would want to do. He approached her, taking her hand.

"Mia, you're an amazing woman." He told her. "You're smart, you're thoughtful...you're anything a man could ever want..."

"Just not you." She whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek and she looked away from him. "I guess just like cooking..."

Jayden placed a finger on her lips to stop her talking. She looked up a little, looking to him.

"I mean what I said, you're an amazing woman. Any man would be lucky to have you." He told her. "But that man won't be me. I don't feel that way about you Mia. I wish I did, but I don't, and I think it's only fair to tell you that."

She couldn't say anything in response. She just drew in, hugging him tightly. He responded hesitantly, hugging her cautiously.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be who you wanted me to be." He told her. "I really wish I could be, but all I can offer you is friendship."

"I'm sorry too." She replied as she continued to look away from him. "Um...could you tell Mentor Ji I'm sick or something? I really don't feel up to training today."

"Sure." He replied as she slowly walked away. His talk with her had gone a lot better than he expected.

Meanwhile, on the banks of the Sanzu River, Dekker was kneeling by the banks, running a whetting stone along the blade of Urumasa as he pondered the day's events.

The Red Ranger was one of the greatest warriors he had seen since he had taken up the curse of immortality. His constant search for worthy opponents was a long and frustrating one. He had been one of the greatest swordsmen in the land even before he took up the curse. Now, with an eternity to practice his art, he rarely found anyone that was a challenge. Most who crossed his path met their end to Urumasa's blade. It was a long time since it had awakened, the years had claimed many of the great warriors. The fact was there were very few really worthy opponents left.

He could still remember every detail of the battle. The Blue Ranger's technique was as perfect as he had ever seen. Every movement, every stance was measured perfectly to within a hair's breadth. However, he could tell that his technique was not that of a warrior used to duelling for his life. Little details like holding back a little strength had been the deciding factor. By the time Jayden had locked them in a stalemate, he had a little more left and could overpower him.

The Red Ranger was the rarest breed. His technique was amazing, but his heart, determination and will placed him on the plane of the true greats. He could feel Urumasa's yearning in anticipation of the battle ahead.

As he heard some stones shifting, indicating that someone was approaching behind him, he grasped the hilt of the sword in preparation for a possible attack. As he turned his head slowly, he saw Octoroo approaching. He relaxed his grip as he saw him and returned to what he was doing.

"Metatone was defeated." Octoroo began, shifting closer.

"He was not strong enough to get the job done." Dekker told him. "His tricks were not enough to defeat the Rangers."

"The Red Ranger freed his friend and the Tiger Zord!" Octoroo snapped at him, pacing intently. "Because Metatone was destroyed, the Rangers are now stronger than ever!"

"I fail to see why you're talking to me about this." Dekker commented.

"You were there!" Octoroo answered. "You could have helped. If you had intervened..."

"I have no interest in fighting uneven battles." Dekker interrupted him. Octoroo gripped his staff intently as he approached.

"Lord Xandred..."

His words were cut off as in one motion, Dekker snapped to his feet, turned to face him and swung Urumasa, the keen edge stopping right at the Nighlock's neck. If he had wanted, Dekker could easily have struck his head from his shoulders.

"I told Lord Xandred I would not interfere in his schemes." Dekker reminded him. "His war against the human realm is of no interest to me."

He put Urumasa back in its scabbard across his back and turned to walk away.

"I suggest in future you hold your tongue." Dekker told him. "Next time, I may take your head."

Back at the academy, Kevin arrived at the door to the girls' room, and knocked on it gently. He didn't get an answer, but since Mia hadn't been training, and he hadn't seen her leave the grounds, he figured she had to be in her room. He opened the door slowly, and started to make his way in, seeing her sitting on her bed, holding a large, white stuffed rabbit. She looked to him, without answering before looking away again.

"Can I come in?" He asked her. She just shrugged, at which he came inside, looking around the room. They couldn't really decorate, since it was Mentor Ji's home, but he allowed them to keep a few personal belongings around their rooms to make somewhere they could feel comfortable. Emily's bed was covered in numerous stuffed toys, creating a virtual plush zoo in her side of the room. Mia's side was a little more restrained. She only had a few books, and her rabbit. He came over to her bed, sitting down with her. "You weren't at training. Mentor Ji said you were sick."

He knew exactly what the problem was. Jayden had promised to have a word with Mia. He guessed that he had spoken to her already, and that she just wanted some time by herself.

"I just wanted to see if you were alright." He told her. She sighed and shook her head. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not sick." She admitted, looking to the rabbit and held it tighter. "It's Jayden."

He didn't want to step in and tell her he knew what was going on. He was sure it would make her feel worse to know that he and Jayden had talked about her. If she was already upset, then finding out they had been talking about her behind her back would just make her feel like she had been betrayed.

"Jayden?" He asked her. "What about him?" She just looked at him a little unconvinced.

"I'm sure you can't have missed the fact I've been following him around like a lovesick teenager." She told him. She looked miserable, and it pained him to see her so unhappy. "He had the 'just friends' talk with me this morning."

"I'm sorry." He replied sympathetically, putting his arm around her.

"I just feel like such an idiot." She admitted as she shook her head. "I can't believe I never got the hint. I mean, he told me he wasn't interested in me at all! How could I not figure that out?"

"I guess when you like someone like that, it's hard to see anything that gets in the way." Kevin sighed, thinking about his own feelings. He wanted more from her, but he was in much the same situation as her. She had not given him any reason to think that she might return his feelings. "I guess it's hard to let go of the fantasy."

"Am I really that dumb though?" She asked him. Kevin looked slightly puzzled and upset by her remark.

"Mia, you are not dumb." He told her.

"I couldn't figure out that Jayden isn't into me, I didn't see that I can't cook..." She continued, finding herself becoming more frustrated and upset about her short comings. "There's no other explanation!"

"Hey, no one wants to face the fact that someone they like doesn't notice them." He told her. "You are not stupid. You're amazing."

"Jayden doesn't think so." She told him. "I guess I was kidding myself. He's way out of my league. I guess I can see why..."

"Mia, you're amazing." He interrupted her. "You're kind, you're beautiful. Any guy would be lucky to have you."

He smiled at her as she looked at him. He wanted more from her, but right now she needed a friend. His own feelings could wait, right now she needed to get over her disappointment about Jayden.

"One day you'll find a guy that deserves you. You can count on that." Kevin assured her. "You can count on it."

"Thanks Kevin." She replied, leaning into him as he held her. "You're a great friend."

"You can count on that." He whispered in response. "I'm here."

Fin.

A/N: OK, I know that I had billed the LAST chapter as the closing chapter (I've since edited it to remove the word Fin.) but I felt that I just had to get Jayden and Mia's talk out the way. It was just one of the loose ends that needed to be tied up.


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